RACING: Twelve months ago Leopardstown introduced a novelty fixture to their summer programme in the shape of a football-themed race meeting. This was such a success, it drew a crowd in excess of 6000, that it was decided to make it an annual event and on the eve of the World Cup final Leopardstown will this evening go football crazy.
The Football Furlong concept may in time take on an international shape but in the meantime visiting players from the English Premiership are due to mix with racegoers.
Over the course of the evening there are six 10-runner handicaps and every jockey will race in the shirt colours of one of the 20 clubs that go to make up the Premiership. Each club is guaranteed three runs when the colours are drawn by a ballot and thereafter a points system will determine the winner.
The executive are keen to have as many of those attending the meeting wearing their favourite club's jerseys and there will be numerous spot prizes. When racing is over there is to be a celebrity penalty shoot-out.
The one event excepted from the football theme is the Group Three Brownstown Stakes for fillies sponsored by Irish Stallion Farms but even here it will be nigh impossible to get away from the theme of visiting stars. There are three English-trained runners, all of whom have form that ties in with the cross-Irish Sea pin-up three-year-old filly Speciosa.
Wake Up Maggie, who carried off a massive purse at the Curragh last year, finished fifth to Speciosa in the Stan James 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May while Mark Prescott, who has such a superb strike rate with his Irish runners, sends over Violette who was narrowly beaten by Speciosa in the Rockfel Stakes last Autumn.
Wake Up Maggie has, however, twice failed since the Guineas while Violette has a 3lb penalty. Taking these two factors into account the pick of the English trio may be the Barry Hills runner Spinning Queen. She was just behind Wake Up Maggie in sixth place in the 1,000 and last time out was a three-length winner over Secret Night at Warwick.
The Leopardstown nap is Rangoon in the Football Furlong.com Handicap after a promising run behind Toufan Express.
Limerick has Sunday to itself with an all National Hunt programme. Top billing goes to the Supermacs Summer Handicap Hurdle in which Joanna Morgan's Leading Springs can complete a hat trick.
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